Planning a holiday or some visits to other places this summer? If so, somewhere in the mix, you’ll need to check up on directions (or at least that your GPS is charged and the software up to date!!) Plus you will need to work out how you are going to get there (may be not by a taxi like this one in the Louwman Museum!)
A bit earlier I was sat planning a trip to a museum with one of our children; including the location, how we are going to get there and time to go. Plus checking out the weather of course.
All part of going on a journey.
On the weekend Helen and I went down to Maastricht. We don’t actually have a GPS and so had directions printed off from the internet. Towards the end, as we were seeking to find the house we were going to be staying at, we went the wrong way. Either we mis-read the instructions or the major road works taking place had somewhat changed things.
A phone call to our hosts got us back on track.
Sometimes life gets referred to as a journey. I think that is a good metaphor for it. The Bible speaks about our being pilgrims passing through. If you check out the memorial sign about the Pilgrim Fathers on the outside of the Pieterskerk in Leiden, such imagery is reinforced:
How is the journey of life going for you? Do you have a sense of where you are going? Or does it feel a bit like you have got somewhat lost and off track?
In the book of Isaiah, we can read many messages given to the people of Israel. In all kinds of ways and for all kinds of reasons, they had got off track. At one stage, the Lord is speaking through Isaiah to challenge the people that they have been quite obstinate and seeking to go their own way (and hence getting lost really). There is fresh hope given in words like,
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (30:15) And then a bit later come these words,
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (30:21)
Though these are words spoken long ago to different people than you and me, God has not changed. Christ called his earliest disciples to follow him. He still calls people to such a journey these days. Even if things seem off-track, it is possible to get back on course.
Whether you sense your life journey is going well or if it seems you are lost, can I encourage us all to take time and reflect on how things are going? To give space for the Lord to speak into our lives and the direction that we are on with.
May we all know His leading on our travels!
Andy